WASHINGTON — The Kennedy Center and the union representing musicians in the National Symphony Orchestra have come to an agreement on a short-term contract after a brief strike that threatened to derail Saturday’s season-opening gala. The DC Federation of Musicians, local 161-710 of the American Federation of Musicians, went on strike Friday following the Sept. … Read more
NEW YORK — You can call the music of Kool & the Gang funky or R&B, soulful or disco, pop or dance. What you cannot call it is partisan. When Iowa’s delegation at this summer’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago announced its vote for the Harris-Walz ticket, they played “Celebration.” That was the same song … Read more
NEW YORK — Jazz great Benny Golson, a tenor saxophonist and composer of standards such as “Killer Joe” and “Along Came Betty,” has died. He was 95. Golson died Saturday at his home in Manhattan after a short illness, said Golson’s longtime agent, Jason Franklin. Over his seven-decade musical career, Golson worked with some of … Read more
Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, has died at age 70. Tito was the third of nine Jackson children, which include global superstars Michael and sister Janet, part of a music-making family whose songs are still beloved today. “It’s with heavy hearts that we announce … Read more
Chad McQueen, an actor known for his performances in the “Karate Kid” movies and the son of the late actor and race car driver Steve McQueen, has died. He was 63. McQueen’s attorney and friend Arthur H. Barens confirmed to The Associated Press that he died Wednesday. The cause of death was not disclosed. His … Read more
NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Suki Waterhouse discovered the Sparklemuffin spider during a late-night scroll. “He’s wildly colored. He’s cute,” she said. Best of all: He dances. “I felt somewhat akin to him.” The spider became a foil and a mascot for Waterhouse’s sophomore album, “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin,” out Friday. The release … Read more
RIO DE JANEIRO — Sergio Mendes, the Grammy-winning Brazilian musician whose hit “Mas Que Nada” made him a global legend, has died after months battling the effects of long COVID. He was 83. The death Thursday of the Brazilian pianist, songwriter and arranger was confirmed in a statement by his family. “His wife and musical … Read more
NEW YORK — Anthony Roth Costanzo gives a truly inside look at one of Mozart’s most loved operas. Singing seven different roles in a madcap presentation of “Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro)” at New York’s Little Island, the countertenor labors through the Countess’ “Dove sono” aria with a steel laryngoscope down his … Read more
NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Music director Jaap van Zweden earned just over $1.5 million from the New York Philharmonic in the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2023, and Deborah Borda received slightly more than $1.7 million in her final season as CEO. The Philharmonic released its 2022 tax return Wednesday, covering its … Read more
In the fall of 1922, New York City was rocked by a riot over hats. A fashion rule decreed that no one could wear a straw hat beyond Sept. 1. Summer was over and it was time to put the straw hats away. Some disagreed and the accepted cutoff time crept to Sept. 15. Any … Read more
